Red Wings add veteran Erik Cole in trade with Stars

Erik Cole has been traded to the Detroit Red Wings from the Dallas Stars.(Photo: LM Otero, AP)

When the Detroit Red Wings recently made a stop in Dallas, general manager Ken Holland fell into conversation with his former assistant.

Jim Nill, now the general manager of the Stars, told Holland that if the Stars had a rough week, there'd be players available before Monday's 3 p.m. trade deadline.

The Stars went on a losing streak. The Wings went on a winning streak, but wanted more. That led to Sunday evening's trade for veteran forward Erik Cole in exchange for two prospects the Wings considered expendable and a second round pick. The Wings get Dallas' third-round pick if the Wings make it to the Eastern Conference Final; if not, it reverts back to the Stars.

Cole is expected to arrive in Detroit Monday evening, be at practice Tuesday, and play Wednesday when the Wings host the New York Rangers.

"This deal was done because our team is playing well, and I'm trying to add another piece that will make us a little better," Holland told the Free Press. "Jim Nill knows our prospects pretty well. He initially named a couple we wouldn't part with but as we continued to talk, we found names we could agree on."

Dallas Stars left wing Erik Cole, front, has the puck bounce off his stick while making a rush to the net with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brad Stuart defending during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, in Denver. Colorado won 4-1.
David Zalubowski AP

Dallas Stars right wing Erik Cole (72) chases the puck during the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at the American Airlines Center. Cole scores a goal in the second. The Avalanche defeat the Stars 3-2 in the overtime shootout.
Jerome Miron USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Stars right wing Erik Cole (72) and San Jose Sharks center Andrew Desjardins (10) fight for the puck during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Cole scores a goal in the first and Desjardins scores two goals in the second. The Sharks defeated the Stars 5-2.
Jerome Miron USA TODAY Sports

San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) and Dallas Stars right wing Erik Cole (72) look for the puck during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Cole scores a goal in the third. The Sharks defeated the Stars 5-2.
Jerome Miron USA TODAY Sports

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Cole, 36, has 18 goals and 15 assists in 57 games. The picks he cost were defense prospect Mattias Backman, who quit Grand Rapid earlier this season to return to his native Sweden, along with center Mattias Janmark, a third-round pick from 2013.

It was a price Holland considered worth it to add a forward who at 6-2, 205 pounds adds size, and who has played 46 playoff games, though his last goal dates to the 2002 playoffs when he was with Carolina.

"He was basically a top-six forward in Dallas," Holland said. "When we played in Dallas, Jim said that if they had a tough week, he was going to make some moves. We've been talking internally. We like Cole. He's a big guy who can skate. When he played against us, he went to the net and scored."

Cole is in the last year of a deal making $4 million. Holland said he isn't bothered at the prospect of a rental because "we think Erik Cole is an upgrade. He brings an element of north-south hockey to our lineup.

"I know Mike Babcock is excited to get him, I know Kris Draper reached out to Henrik Zetterberg, and Z is excited that our team is deeper and better."

The move was not made as a response to injuries. Zetterberg is expected back soon from a head injury, and Holland said Johan Franzen, who hasn't played since early January because of a concussion, is making progress and hasn't been ruled out to return this spring.

Holland said the Wings aren't necessarily done. They have the luxury of being picky buyers after going 4-1-1 through six straight games on the road, going 6-3-2 in a February that featured just two home games, and going 15-6-2 since the start of January.

Common thinking is it'll take 95 points to get into the playoffs. The Wings already have 81, and they still have 21 games left in a schedule that's now quite favorable.

Babcock has sounded the call for a right-shot defenseman since last summer, and Alexey Marchenko has answered it with the way he's played since being called up at the start of February. He, along with Jakub Kindl, Xavier Ouellet and Brian Lashoff have provided the Wings the depth they desired on defense.

Holland has gathered his pro scouts and other personnel as usual for a trade-deadline council as zero-hour approaches. In mid-January scouts assembled a list (which has dwindled over the past week, as players have been traded) heavy on defensemen, with names including New Jersey's Marek Zidlicky and Edmonton's Jeff Petry, along with a few forwards, such as Calgary's Curtis Glencross (who was traded Sunday to Washington).

That's put Holland in position to be choosy.

"We're a deeper organization than a year ago," he said. "One reason is health. Two has to do with development. Marchenko last year wasn't a player we thought was ready to play in the NHL. Now he is. Ouellet has had more experience. Mrazek has had another 20 games in the NHL. All of our young guys have more experience, and that's made us a deeper team.

Babcock helped put together the list of needs in January, but he sounded over the weekend like a guy happy not to be making decisions weighing the cost of help now versus damage later. "I live right here, right now, in the present," Babcock said. "This is where my job is much different than Ken's job. It's the same that last day of training camp. I just want to win tomorrow, and he wants to build an organization. These are hard decisions. We like winning. We like winning now, but we like winning every year, too. We're kind of greedy that way. So, hard decisions."

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.